Abdulla Shahid, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives and President-elect of the seventy-sixth session of the United Nations General Assembly, addresses the General Assembly meeting that held election of the President of the General Assembly, as well as Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly June 7, 2021. (UN Photo/Loey Felipe)
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
UNITED NATIONS – NEW YORK – Abdulla Shahid, Foreign Minister of the Maldives, has been elected the next President of the 76th session of the General Assembly. The UN Secretary-General chief welcomed the election on Monday of Shahid. He was elected by secret ballot in which he defeated his challenger, former Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul. Shahid won the support of 143 of the 191 UN member states present and voting. Rassoul won 48 votes. A candidate needs at least 96 votes to get elected.
“Abdulla Shahid’s longstanding diplomatic experience, including in his current role as Minister of ForeigHe was elected by secret ballot in which he defeated his challenger, former Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul. Shahid won the support of 143 of the 191 UN member states present and voting. Rassoul won 48 votes. A candidate needs at least 96 votes to get elected.n Affairs, has given him a deep understanding of the importance of multilateralism in addressing today’s global challenges”.
-UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
He commended the President-elect for his “selection of hope as the central theme in his vision statement” and noted that, coming from a small island developing State, Mr. Shahid will “bring unique insights” to the Assembly as the world prepares for the UN climate conference, COP26, in Glasgow in November.
The top UN official also expressed his “deep appreciation” to Volkan Bozkir for his “exceptional leadership” as Assembly President during the 75th anniversary session.
“As our most representative organ, the General Assembly is the foundation of all our work at the United Nations, and essential to our effectiveness as an Organization”, he said. “In 2021, the world needs that effectiveness more than ever”.
Volkan Bozkir, President of the seventy-fifth session of the United Nations General Assembly, chairs the General Assembly meeting that held election of the President of the General Assembly, as well as Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly June 7, 2021. (UN Photo Loey Felipe)
Shahid is 59-years-old. He has been the Maldives’ foreign minister since 2018. He first held the post in 2007-2008. Between 2009 and 2014, he was the speaker of the unicameral house of parliament. He was educated in Australia and the United States and holds a master’s degree in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy of Tufts University.
